Advice lured Lyle to Dons

Lyle Taylor believes that AFC Wimbledon is the ideal place to reignite his career after taking advice from current Dons players about making the move.

The 25-year-old was impressed with what Neal Ardley had to say this morning, but he already knew plenty about the club after speaking to friends Karleigh Osborne and Bayo Akinfenwa about life at AFC Wimbledon.

Of course, Karleigh Osborne only signed earlier this month, but already the club has made a big impression on him – and that influenced Lyle’s decision to join the Dons.

Speaking during an interview with Rob Cornell for Dons Player, Lyle said: “I know a few of the boys already and they told me how good it is here. I have known Karleigh for years since we were both on loan at Eastbourne Borough. If we can attract players of Karleigh’s calibre then it can only be a good thing for the club. When I spoke to Karleigh he said I needed to get myself here because it was ‘unreal’. That says it all for me. With a club and a coaching staff that is complemented by the players it was the only place for me to be.”

Lyle added that getting back to his London roots was also a key factor. The speedy striker actually came up against an AFC Wimbledon side during his teenage years when studying at Kingston College.

“The best place for me to be is back home with my friends and family,” Lyle added. “It will be nice to be back home and have that support structure around me. When the opportunity to come here came up I could not turn it down. I cannot wait to start training and playing here.

“I had a chance to speak to the manager today about what he wants to do with the club, the squad and each individual player. It was something I wanted to be a part of. I went to Kingston College and did a college course combined with football. That involved playing for Staines Town academy against the college set-up at Wimbledon and it was always a tough game back then!”

The full six-minute interview with Lyle Taylor can be viewed on Dons Player.